Rep. Julie Hamos

Creates the Local Food, Farms, and Jobs Council Act. Contains only a short title provision.

Creates the Pediatric Palliative Care Act and amends the Hospice Program Licensing Act. Provides that the Department of Healthcare and Family Services shall develop a pediatric palliative care pilot program under which a qualifying child may receive community-based pediatric palliative care from a trained interdisciplinary team while continuing to pursue aggressive curative treatments for a potentially life-limiting medical condition under the benefits available under the Medicaid program. Provides that the Department shall apply for a federal waiver to conduct the program. Provides that a "qualifying child" for the pilot program is a child under the age of 18 years who is enrolled in the Medicaid program and suffers from a potentially life-limiting medical condition. Sets forth certain counties to be included in the pilot program. Requires a report to the General Assembly at the end of the 3-year pilot period. Provides for the review of pediatric palliative care issues by the Hospice and Palliative Care Advisory Board. Effective immediately.

Amends the Energy Assistance Act. Provides that if a participant in the energy assistance program resides in publicly supported housing, the compensation paid under the Act to the energy provider who supplied winter energy to the participant shall be paid on behalf of the participant or, if the owner is responsible for providing winter energy, on behalf of the owner of that publicly supported housing. Provides that "publicly supported housing" includes housing subsidized or developed with public funds provided under the Rental Housing Support Program Act. Effective immediately.

Appropriates $2,000,000 to the Department of Public Health from the General Revenue Fund to fund the activities and costs associated with the Universal Newborn Hearing Program. Effective July 1, 2009.

Amends the Liquor Control Act of 1934. Creates a retail wine shipper's license, which allows a person with a wine retailing or wine auctioning license under the laws of another state to ship wine directly to a resident of this State who is 21 years of age or older for that resident's personal use and not for resale. Sets forth the licensure requirements, license fee, grounds for discipline, and administrative procedure. Provides that sale and shipment by a retail wine shipper licensee pursuant to this Act shall be deemed to constitute a sale in this State for the purposes of the Retailers' Occupation Tax Act. Requires specific labelling on each shipment. Provides that nonpayment of taxes for all wine that is sold and shipped to a person in this State will result in revocation of the license. Effective immediately.

Amends the Pawnbroker Regulation Act. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning violations of the Act.

Amends the Metropolitan Transit Authority Act. Provides that certain civil actions against the Chicago Transit Authority must be commenced within one year (instead of 6 months) from the date the injury was received or the cause of action accrued. Provides that, if the Authority is notified in writing later than one year (instead of 6 months) from the date the injury occurred or the cause of action arose, then the Authority is not obligated to furnish a copy of the statute to the person. Provides that the changes made by the amendatory Act apply to causes of action that accrue on or after the effective date of the amendatory Act. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Act on Aging. Requires the Department on Aging, in cooperation with certain agencies, to determine whether any persons (now, only "Alzheimer's Disease and related disorders victims and persons who are deemed as blind or disabled under the Social Security Act") who are in need of long-term care may be satisfactorily cared for in their homes. Vests responsibility for pre-screening in case coordination units or any agencies designated by the Department of Human Services (now, only in case coordination units). Requires all persons who are admitted and remain in a nursing facility for 90 or more days to be re-screened at the end of the 90 day period to assess their continuing need for nursing facility care. Effective immediately.

Amends the Downstate Police and Downstate Firefighter Articles of the Illinois Pension Code. Provides that, in addition to any duty under the Open Meetings Act, the board shall provide written notice of each meeting, as defined in the Open Meetings Act, to the mayor or village or town president at least 48 hours prior to that meeting. Requires the notice to set forth the time, date, location, and agenda of the meeting. Provides that, if the board fails to provide the notice required under this Section for any meeting, then any action taken at that meeting is invalid. Amends the State Mandates Act to require implementation without reimbursement. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Provides that the amendatory Act may be referred to as the Child Bicycle Helmet Safety Law. Provides that it is unlawful for any person under the age of 18 to operate or be a passenger on a bicycle on a highway, multipurpose public path, or other public right-of-way unless at all times when the person is so-engaged he or she wears a protective bicycle helmet of good fit fastened securely upon the head with the straps of the helmet. Provides that it is unlawful for any person to be a passenger on a bicycle on a highway, multipurpose public path, or other public right-of-way unless (i) the person is able to maintain an erect, seated position on the bicycle and is at least one year of age, (ii) the person is properly seated alone on a saddle seat, or (iii) with respect to any person who weighs fewer than 40 pounds, or is less than 40 inches in height, the person can be and is properly seated in and adequately secured to a bicycle safety seat. Provides that it is a civil offense for any parent or legal guardian of a person below the age of 18 to permit the person to operate or be a passenger on a bicycle in an unlawful manner. Provides that it is unlawful to rent or lease any bicycle to or for the use of any person under the age of 18 on a highway, multipurpose public path, or other public right-of-way unless certain conditions are met. Effective immediately.